The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Playing around with point fire as opposed to aimed fire, and thoughts on CCW training

Bartholomew Roberts · January 19, 2012, 09:37 AM

I think point shooting can be effective in hitting a target. In terms of training, the whole point of training is to substitute a more effective reaction than the instinctive reaction your body would normally execute. If I do not practice looking for the sights in training, I am sure not going to pick up the habit when someone is shooting at me.

At its core, you must align the pistol with the target to hit the target. This can be done by body index/muscle memory, or by using the sights on the pistol. However, every time I practice using the sights to align the pistol with the target, I am also teaching my body the muscle memory it needs to make hits without the sights. Accordingly, the amount of time I spend practicing using any type of non-visual method to index the pistol with the target is extremely minimal and generally related to retention-type positions where seeing the sights is physically impossible.

And there are other issues, such as the Fairbairn-Applegate point shooting method, which works well enough and can be picked up quick; but has you presenting your pistol in basically the exact same pose that martial arts guys use to practice disarms.

January 19, 2012, 09:37 AM	#9
Bartholomew Roberts member Join Date: June 12, 2000 Location: Texas and Oklahoma area Posts: 8,462	I think point shooting can be effective in hitting a target. In terms of training, the whole point of training is to substitute a more effective reaction than the instinctive reaction your body would normally execute. If I do not practice looking for the sights in training, I am sure not going to pick up the habit when someone is shooting at me. At its core, you must align the pistol with the target to hit the target. This can be done by body index/muscle memory, or by using the sights on the pistol. However, every time I practice using the sights to align the pistol with the target, I am also teaching my body the muscle memory it needs to make hits without the sights. Accordingly, the amount of time I spend practicing using any type of non-visual method to index the pistol with the target is extremely minimal and generally related to retention-type positions where seeing the sights is physically impossible. And there are other issues, such as the Fairbairn-Applegate point shooting method, which works well enough and can be picked up quick; but has you presenting your pistol in basically the exact same pose that martial arts guys use to practice disarms.